A Magical Christmas
by EmPoweredBeing
Summary: Harry and Hermione are stuck in the castle alone for their first Christmas in the magical world. Minerva McGonagall shows them a little magic all of her own as they share the magic of Christmas now and for all the years to come.


**A/N: So this is a little Christmassy one shot. It's mainly Min/Harry centric, with a bit of Hermione thrown in there for good measure. It's un-beta-ed. I figured I'd give Spin a day off seeing as it is Christmas lol**

**Well then, hope you enjoy it! Let me know what you think and of course if there are any glaringly obvious mistakes. Most of all I just like hearing from you really lol Oh, I forgot to tell you all. Any of my readers have a birthday in January for my Wilful Perversion of the Truth Series let me know. I have no-one yet…it's rather sad!**

**Well now, Merry Christmas to all of you! Merry whatever you celebrate, or merry today if you don't celebrate at all. Clearly I'm just a little merry today lol  
>I'm sure Min wouldn't mind if I told you… <strong>**Nollaig Chridheil agus Bliadhna mhath ùr!**

Hermione sighed as she sat in the common room alone. It had been a long couple of months and she'd only started to make friends with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley in the last few months. She had expected to be going home, but at the last minute her grandmother had become ill and they had sent word that Hermione would not be able to come home.

To say that she was upset was an understatement. She sniffed a little as she thought about what she wouldn't be doing for Christmas this year. There'd be no early morning waking up her parents by jumping on their bed. She may have been eleven, but she was not beyond a bit of childish fun on Christmas morning. They wouldn't be cuddling together for another half hour before she finally persuaded her parents to rise and move downstairs where all her presents would be waiting.

Furious at herself for being so childish she wiped the tears from her face and stared at the fire. It was the night before Christmas eve and Harry and her were the only two Gryffindor's remaining in the castle. Harry had gone to bed hours ago, looking like Hermione felt. They hadn't talked about it, but Hermione had the feeling that while she was mourning the loss of her magical Christmas with her parents, Harry had no concept of a wonderful Christmas.

"Hey." Came a gruff voice from beside her.

Hermione jumped a mile and slapped the boy she had just been thinking about as he sat down next to her grinning a little.

"Harry Potter, you scared me!" she said giggling a little, before she sniffed again.

"Sorry." He said, leaning his head against her shoulder. They may not have been friends for long, but they knew they were both hurting and sought comfort from the other.

"What would you be doing now if you were at home?" Harry whispered no moving from his position. Hermione sighed and recounted all the details of her Christmas.

"What about you Harry?" she asked quietly, wondering if he would tell her the truth.

"Nothing, pretending I didn't exist, listening to Dudley complain because he had one less present than last year." He whispered. They fell silent as they both thought about the other's Christmas and trying to help each other through the pain.

Professor Minerva McGonagall was someone who was stoic, rigid and emotionless. She was the stalwart leader of Gryffindor and she never, not once showed any emotion to anyone. Or that's what people thought. In truth, Minerva cared deeply for her Gryffindor's. Some of which she became quite close to over the years.

She knew two of her students were currently still at the school, one's plans falling through at last minute and one whom, she had an inkling, had never had a proper Christmas.

She nodded to the Fat Lady, who swung open the portrait letting her into the Gryffindor Common room silently. Minerva smiled slightly as she saw her two Gryffindor's curled up on the sofa together, evidence of tears on Miss Granger's face and a rather forlorn looking Harry Potter sharing the space. Making her way over to them, she soothed Miss Granger's forehead lightly, erasing the frown the young girl was sporting. She felt sorry to the two children sleeping fitfully on the overstuffed cushions. One without knowing what Christmas was about, one who's Christmas had been taken away, smirking to herself a little she gently eased Hermione from her position and carried her up to her dorm after muttering a featherweight spell over the small girls body; before doing the same with Harry, stopping to smooth his hair before leaving a kiss on his forehead.

Making her way back down to the Common Room she devised a plan to make this Christmas the best Christmas they'd ever had.

Harry and Hermione spent the day visiting Hagrid and walking around the Lake, despite the freezing temperatures. Knocking the snow off their boots they were stopped by their Head of House who was looking discerningly over her spectacles.

"Where on earth have you too been, you'll catch a death of cold." She said disapprovingly as she brushed some snow off Hermione's coat.

"Um, Professor?" Hermione said, glancing at Harry, who merely shrugged.

"Yes Miss Granger?" Hermione looked up at her Head of House like she'd never seen her before. They'd taken tea together and talked about Transfiguration every other weekend, but she had never seen her like this.

"I, never mind." Hermione said, shuffling her feet as their Head of House stared at them, wondering whether to go through with her plan, or whether to call the whole thing off.

"Would you two like to join me for some hot chocolate up in my quarters?" she asked casually. She was a little nervous at having the two in her private quarters, but she wanted them to have a Christmas to enjoy, so she sucked up her Gryffindor courage and smiled at them, shocking them slightly.

"Um," Hermione looked at Harry, who simply shrugged again before she nodded to her professor and they followed their Professor up to her quarters.

When they entered her rooms the pair both stood in the doorway, their mouths gaping as they looked around her rooms. There was frost on her windows and they seemed to glow gently and tiny fairies danced around the ceiling flashing brightly as they flittered through the room. The tree was what drew them though. In the corner of her room was the most beautiful tree either of them had ever seen and they were in awe of it. It was trimmed, of course, in red and gold and had the most beautiful angel sitting atop of the tree.

"Oh Professor it's beautiful." Hermione gushed. Harry just stared. He'd never been allowed near the Christmas tree at the Dursley's. They'd always been fearful he would do something freaky to it.

"Wow." He whispered.

Minerva smiled at the two of them, happy that their faces lit up in the light.

"Hot chocolate?" she asked, holding up two mugs. Hermione nodded and moved to her usual spot on the sofa. Harry however just looked awkward as he realised he was standing in his Head of House's sitting room. "Mr Potter?" Minerva asked, moving closer to the boy. He looked up at her with his big green eyes and Minerva was suddenly transported back to the first time that another young lady had looked up at her so. "Harry." She whispered, unable to tear her eyes away from the boys. "Your eyes are so like your mother's." she whispered, suddenly snapping out of her trance and smiling at Harry. "Come."

The three spent a rather enjoyable evening, after working through their nerves, and finally fell asleep on the sofa again. Minerva once again carried them away, but this time to her spare rooms tucking them in, so gently that most of her students would have been convinced she was under the imperious charm.

"Professor?" Harry mumbled as she smoothed his hair back.

"Yes my boy?" she said gently, not wanting to disturb the semi-sleep the boy was in.

"Um, thanks I guess." He whispered with a half-smile. "I, well I never-" she took his hand gently and kissed his head.

"It's alright little one, I know." She whispered rubbing her thumb over his hand as he fell back to sleep.

"Merry Christmas Harry." She said quietly.

Harry smiled in his sleep.

"Merry Christmas Professor."

Minerva couldn't help but smile when she woke up to the whisperings of two rather excited Gryffindor's.

"Come in you two." She said sleepily laughing when they ran into her room and jumped on her bed, all nerves at seeing her at home in her quarters forgotten over the excitement they were both feeling.

"There are presents under the tree." Harry said shyly.

"I imagine there are, my boy." Minerva said smugly, knowing that the House Elves were quite good at their job.

"Professor, can, can you get up now?" Hermione asked shyly making Minerva laugh and hug the girl gently.

"Of course, off we go." She said, summoning her robe and following them into the living room.

In years to come neither one of them forgot the kindness their Head of House showed them in their first Christmas in the magical world and once they had their own families they spent every Christmas together, Hermione and her family, Harry and his family and the woman that would forever be in their hearts as the closest thing they both had to a grandmother.

"Thanks Min." Harry whispered into the aging woman's ear many years later.

"Oh my boy, you are and always have been welcome." She said kissing his cheek. "I am so glad we started this tradition, you and Hermione have been a balm to and old woman's soul."

"You, Minerva McGonagall are no older now than I think you were when we first started this." Harry chuckled taking her arm and helping her into the fire.

"Oh rubbish, cheeky boy." She said fondly. "I will see you in two weeks yes?" she said taking a handful of Floo Powder.

"Minerva?" Harry placed a hand on her arm before she managed to trow the Floo Powder.

"What is it?" She said, a worried look crossing her face.

"I, I just, really. Thank you." He said finally. Minerva smiled gently and took the man in her arms as if he was a child again.

"I know we never really say it dear boy, but I love you, have loved you since the minute you were born." She said patting his cheek finally. "Tell Hermione I said goodbye and I will be at her home this week for tea." She said with another kiss to his cheek.

"Bye." Harry said finally watching his first pseudo-family member leaving his home. He smiled as Ginny wrapped her arms around his middle.

"You alright?" she whispered, knowing that they only had a moment before one of their kids, or Hermione's kids came looking for them.

"Yeah." Harry said turning and pecking his wife on the lips. "I'm fine."


End file.
